Dish plans Netflix rival
September 5, 2011
By Chris Forrester
US satellite broadcaster Dish Network is to launch its ‘Blockbuster’ movie streaming service next month as a direct challenge to rival Netflix. Reports suggest the new Blockbuster service’s launch is timed to coincide with Netflix upping its prices.
Netflix is proposing to charge separately for mail-delivered DVDs as well as streamed movies. If users want both options then prices rise by some 60 percent. Dish have yet to announce their prices.
Dish Network bought Blockbuster in April paying $320m and buying the video rental operation out of bankruptcy. Dish/Blockbuster has spent these past months fixing deals with Hollywood’s studios.
Bloomberg quotes Nielsen data which states that US users spent 35 percent more time on internet content during Q1 this year, or an average of 4 hours 33 minutes per month.